Adjustable handle on a hand implement



May 26, 1959 Filed Nov. l5, 1955 F. G. MAHONEY ADJUSTABLE HANDLE ON AHAND IMPLEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FksaE/a/ae G. MAHONEY Ms ATT'OENEY May 26, 1959 Filed Nov. 15-, 1955 F. G. MAHONEY 2,887,710

ADJUSTABLE HANDLE ON A HAND IMPLEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.FEEDER/CK G. MA HONEY XZJBM H/ 5 A TTOENEY United States Patent Office2,887,710 Patented May 26, 1959 ADJUSTABLE HANDLE ON A HAND IMPLEMENTFrederick G. Mahoney, Clifton Heights, Pa. Application November 15,1955, Serial No. 546,955

3 Claims. (c1. 15-172 This invention relates generally to holders forhand implements such as paint brushes, scrapers and similar hand toolsand more particularly to a hand implement holder that provides for thepositioning of the handle therefor at different angles relative to theimplement.

The problem of providing the holder of a hand implement with a handlethat may be positioned at different relative angles may be accomplishedby providing a plurality of angularly disposed faces on the holder. Eachface having a threaded hole or socket, that is generally plugged with ascrew when not in use which screw is removed, and in which the threadedstem on the handle is inserted. This structure accomplishes the purposeof disposing the handle at different relative angles to the implementbut the holes or threaded sockets become plugged when the plug screwsare lost and the latter become filled and are diflicult to clean thusdefeating the purpose of the multiangle holder.

It has also been suggested to provide a ball and socket arrangementwherein the handle member may be shifted through a slot and secured atone or more positions. However the slide loosening of the handle of sucha structure permits the handle to swivel on the ball, which in most handimplements ruins the work rather than provides a benefit. Again a balland socket structure of this character having close fitting surfacesbecome jammed when filled with paint or dirt preventing it fromswiveling.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of astructure wherein the implement holder is provided with a plurality offlat faces connected by slots and the handle is attached to a stempivotally secured within the head so that it may swing to any one of theselected slots on the head and be secured rigidly adjacent the flatclamp face. The margin of the face provides a stop that prevents thehandle from shifting from the selected slot even if the handle were tobecome accidentally loosened. This feature prevents accidental mishapsof the tool. In order to shift the handle to a different relativeposition it is necessary to further loosen the handle in order to permitit to clear the perimeter of the flat face and pass to an adjacent facewhile it is still attached to the stem. This is accomplished byemploying a pivotal or flexible joint on the inner end of the stem whichpermits the stem to be shifted to any one of the slots in the flatclamping faces on the holder. The outer end of the stem may be threadedand the handle threaded to receive the handle which permits unscrewingof the handle sufliciently to allow it to pass over the abutment formedby the margin of the flat clamping face. When the stem is placed in itsnew position the handle may be screwed tight until it engages the faceand thus lock it in position on that face. Thus the single stem may beadjusted to any of a number of faces on the holder by connecting theslots of each face to the central position Where the inner end of thestem is pivoted.

The pivoted joint of the stem in the head or holder may be of anysuitable structure as long as the stem is permitted to be swung to anyselected slot. A loose fitting eye on a metal or rubber pin provides agood joint. A ball and socket or the flexible stem function as goodjoints.

Rather than employ a pivoted stem one can provide a flexible stem madeof any suitable flexible material such as rubber, plastic or a wirecable. Here the flexible material forms a pivotal joint that permits thestem to be swiveled in any selected position.

Another mode for tightening the handle relative to one of the clampingfaces is the provision of a wedge which may be placed on a leverpivotally supported on the handle. When this lever is pulled away fromthe handle the wedge may be withdrawn from between the handle and theclamping face permitting the handle to be shifted to another selectedposition. After which time when the lever is again placed in contactwith the handle the wedge is again forced in between the inner end ofthe handle and the clamping face to lock the handle relative to theselected face. Thus different means may be employed to provide a pivotalrelation between the stern and the head or holder and different meansmay be employed to clamp the handle relative to the head and theselected faces thereon.

The clamping faces on the head may be in the form of a frustum of apyramid which provides three, to six, or more side faces and a top face.Each of the lateral clamping faces are preferably set at a differentangle than the adjacent or opposite clamping face so as to provide fordifferent angular positions of the handle relative to the implementwhich may be in the form of a chisel, scraper or other cutting tool.Each clamp face is preferably flat and the perimetral edge thereof formsan abutment which requires the handle to be loosened to the extent thatit is not usable as a handle for the tool before it can be shifted toanother clamp face.

This character of a handle adjustment for an implement does not becomeinoperative because of paint, dirt or other debris that ordinarily fillsup a threaded socket. If the slots that hold the stem become filled withpaint they are readily picked or scraped out permitting the implement tobe again used.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the followingdescription and claims.

The accompanying drawings show for the purpose of exemplificationwithout limiting the invention or claims thereto certain practicalembodiments illustrating the principles of the invention wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the holder comprising this invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in section of the structure shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a view of a modified form of handle.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a flexible stem on the handle.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a ball and socket pivot on the stem of thehandle.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a spring retained handle locked into asocket.

Referring particularly to the Figs. 1 and 2 'of thedrawings the head orholder of the implement which is to the vertical axis of the implementwhich provides the normal position of the brush handle. The faces 3 and5 which are on opposite sides of the top face 2are disposed at differentangles relative to the vertical central axis. Thus the slot 8 may bedeeper in the face 3 than in the face 5 so that the clamping surface onthe 3 handle engages the same. The faces 4 and 6 may also be disposed atdifferent angles relative tothe vertical central axis and the cross-slot7 is likewise cut at a different angle so that the stem 10 when restingin the bottom or approximately at the bottom of the slotis disposednormal to the face through which itextends. Thus as shown in'Fig. 2 thestem 10 is shown to-be normal to the fiat face 3. The stem 10 isthreaded at its outer end which isreceived in the threaded socket of thehandle 11. Thus when the handle 11 is unscrewed the stem is pivotedrelative to the head of the implement and thrown to either face, and thehandle may again be screwed up on the stem to clamp it against theselected face and thusprovide a rigid handle disposed at a differentangle for the implement.

The pivotal connection of the stem as shown in Fig. 1 is quite simpleandis in the form of an eye 12 through which a pin 13 is inserted. The pinis driven from the end of the head or holder through the eye and intothe opposite side of the holder as illustrated in Fig. 2. The eye 12 issufiiciently large to allow the pin 13 to pass therethrough and stillget the stem 10 to lie in either one of the slots in faces 3 or 5. Whenthe handle is screwed down tight on the clamping face the eye is drawntightly against the pin and holds the handle rigid. When the handle isloosened and the stem is shifted to the slot 7 in either of the faces 4or 6 the eye 12 merely pivots on the pin 13 permitting the handle to beclamped against either face.

If the handle is to be used as an ordinary brush it is merely positionedvertically and the handle is clamped against the flat face 2.

In place of using a threaded connection between the stem. 1-0 and thehandle 11 one may employ a lever 14 as shown in Fig. 3 which fits thehandle and is pivoted thereto at 15. The other end of the lever isprovided with the bifurcated wedge 16. When the lever 14, which ispreferably arcuate shaped to fit the handle 11 is moved against thehandle the wedge members pass between the handle 11 and the selectedclamping face to tightly lock the handle in this position.

In the structure shown in Fig. 4 the head 16 is provided with an anchor17 embedded in the implement head for locking the inner end of theflexible cable 18 in place. The outer end of the flexible cable has athreaded stem 20 on which the handle 11 is screwed. This structurefunctions in the same manner as that disclosed in Fig. 2 owing to thefact that the flexible cable operates as a pivotal joint.

type lock as shown in Fig. 3.

The pivotal joint in Fig. is in the form of a ball and socket whereinthe ball 21 is on the end of the stem 22 which is threadably attached atits other end to the handle 11. The ball 21 is fitted into the socket 23which is embedded in the holder or head of the implement. This is merelya joint for the stem. Any universal type of joint could be used so longas the stem of the handle can be thrown to any selected slot.

The structure of Fig. 6 shows a stem 24 formed by two hook or eyemembers 25 and 26 connected by the coil spring 27. Each face of thefrusto conical pyramid is supplied with a socket 28 at the end of therespective slots 7 and 8. The sockets 28 are fitted to receive the innerend 30 of the handle 31. Thus the spring 27 together with the pivotalconnections to the hook or eye members provides the flexible stem withthe needed flexibility for swinging the handle to a selected face. Toclear the marginal edge of each of the lateral faces 3 to 6 one needonly to pull on the handle to stretch the spring 27, thus withdrawingthe handle from the socket in which the handle was previously set andmoving it to the newly selected face and permitting the spring 27 toEither of the structures as k shown in Figure 4 or 1 may be employedwith a wedge .4 again draw the inner end 30 of the handle into theselected socket 28. The spring 27 continues to hold the handle locked inthe socket making a firm handle for the implement.

In each of the structures shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6 the cross-slots '7and 8 form, in effect, a chamber or reservoir in which a solvent may besupplied to remove any dirt, grease, paint, tar or other foreignmaterial that has a tendency to immobilize the handle or prevent it frombeing shifted from one position to another. The clearances of the stemand the flexibility of the pivoting action of the stem permits normalshifting of the handle when dirt or other debris is caught in the slots.If the accumulation impedes the shifting of the handle then a solvent isadded to the cross-slot reservoir to clean the same and it isunnecessary to immerse the whole of the implement in a solvent.

The shifting of the implement handle in this manner and being able totightly clamp the handle in position permits the user to apply theimplement in the most comfortable manner to the individual. Thisprovides better and faster work with the implement.

I claim:

1. A paint brush comprising a head, bristles extending from said head, ahandle mounting on said head, a flat top face and a plurality of flatside faces on said handle mounting, each side face disposed at adifferent degree of angularity relative to the vertical, a slot in eachface connected to a central slot in said top face, a stem pivotallyconnected at one end in said head and capable of extending out of theslot of any selected face to form a handle, clamp means to hold thehandle rigid against a selected face to permit visibility of thebristles as they apply paint, said stem pivotal connection includes aneye on the end of the stem, and a pin within said head and passingthrough said central slot and said eye and smaller in diameter than theeye to permit lateral disposition of said stem to any slot.

2. A hand implement holder that comprises an elongated head whichsupports a working element, a convex handle mounting carried by saidhead and having a flat top surface and a plurality of flat surfacessloping from the first named flat surface to the body of the head, indirections that are respectively generally longitudinally of andtransverse to the head, the said slopes being at various angles relativeto a line that is perpendicular to the top, a centrally disposed recessin the head, at a plane below the lowermost planes of the said slopes,and open-top slots extending angularly outward from said recess andthrough the said sloping surfaces and the top surfaces, a stem threadedat its outer end for connection to a handle and having an eye on itslower end, and a retaining pin extending through the said recess and thesaid eye, the said pin being of sufficiently smaller diameter than theeye to permit swinging movement of the stem into any of said slots, anda handle flattened on its inner end, for flatwise engagement with thevarious sloped areas and having threaded engagement with the stem.

3. A holder as recited in claim 2, wherein the retaining pin extendsinwardly from a vertical face of the head and cross the said recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 47,927Burnett et al. May 30, 1865 1,311,581 Wagner July 29, 1919 1,540,139Morrison June 2, 1925 1,605,008 Smith Nov. 2, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS181,503 Switzerland Mar. 2, 1936 572,648 France Feb. 25, 1924

